Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-08-21
BEAUTY IN THE WATER.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox Writes a Spicy
Letter OF some Things She Saw.
Bathing Unbec0ming for Womeni
Familisrities IN the Water That Would
Not be Tolerated on Land-Proprie-
ties of the Bath.

Not DO Tolerated on Land-Proprie-
ties of the Bath.
Special Correspondence.
SHELTER ISLAND HEIGHTS, Ny Aug
l., IS67.-Fashion has decreed that
ocean bathing is no longer "the thing" to
do. Yet so heslthful enc inylgorating q
custom will be lorg in wholly dying out.
Here at Shelter Islsnd, where 200 cot
tages ard two large hotels people this
little paradise with 81 least 500 souls
during the season." the beach is we'll
crowded with merry bsthers every fore
noon. =
Sitting in the pavilion and watching
them sport in the briny wave, I could not
help wondering why Mrs. Grundy, who is
so particularly critical in some things,
should have so long ignored the vulgari-
ties of the ocean bath. Here men and
women, young girls and youths half nude,
and with the covered portions Of their
bodies plainly outlined by their clinging
wet robes, mix and mingle and indulge
in familiarities which would not be toll
Grated on land
a pretty young lady swan from the
| beach out TO the diving pavilion yester-
day. Then she clambered up on the pa
vilion with ten or twelve others of both
sexes. Here, in full sight OF 81 the spec
tstors on shore sud ali her companions,
she lifted her short skirts trile and ad-
justed the elastic of her long stocking ,
which had become loosened with the
effort of swimming. she did this with the
utmost nOnchalance; yet Just imagine the
sensation it would cause i she should
perform this same harmless little toilet
act on the veranda, in presence OF the
same audience. She would be cut desd
by every woman, and quite likely re
quested t. leave the hotel. Yae I doubt
II any one beside myself noticed or con-
mented on the little performances is
| such an everyday occurrence. do not
wish to seem hypercritic2l, ard l believe
! | have never been called over particular
or prudish, but l can't heLp wondering
why the ssme act is deemed proper in one
place and vulgar in another.
Only last week l heard young miss
declaring she would not dance with any
man unless he were relatiye NJ very deal
friend. ~ don't like and won't tolerate
any man III sucn close proximity to me-
| cLlC sun 'iu1SSS uC 10 IC4EAIl'
Yesterday l saw her swim 10 the shore
with male escort who was not relative
and it seemed to me the situation held {
good deal more of unpleasant familiarity
tl&p sny waltz ever contained
She sat down in the sand, sEt
her escort leaned on his elbow
close beside her He wore single very
thin garment, which exposed his br&wny
nd
AID tact. The single garment clUng
close 10 his body, and displayed his en-
tire anatomy w.:h unblushing distinct
ness. Her own pretty arms were bare L
the shoulder, and as she sst curled up il
the sand, one could gain very pleasing
outline of her graceful limbs and ROUNDED
shape. Blu! again l fell to making CoIn
parsons.
suppose" I ssid, mentally, "tha
young lazy should meet tE&t your!
gentleman in the halls Of the hotel ar
rGyed precisely as he is now-she Woult
run screaming TO her room, indignan
and alarmed. II he should approach he
in that attire en- the lawn and sttempt Il
sit down beside her, she would calI
policeman to arrest him. Queer, is no
III"
Some OF tha young ladies VINO hav
{ heard that bathing is not as fashionabl
as 1t used to be-unWilliDg to be inde
: pendent, yet more unwilling to abando
{ the delight of daily swim-choose g
afternoon hour when other people or
. mapping, and paddle about in pretty COS
tunes, With no male spectators, or q
least only an accidental one.
These we're the young ladies who de
clared they would not be introduced to 0
dance with any strangers ct the hop give
IL honor OF yachting club recently.
This led happily married matron I
discuss the propr;eties with me.
= 81 like TO see girls prudent" she sale
s "but il seems to ne young people do nc
= have quite as good times ss they used I
o at these resorts. No matter how we
y recommended young man may be, som
= Of these very particular girls declare the
will not dance with any one save an IL
, innate friend.
sit is commendsble, no dOubt-sn
G yet" she added, with an arch laugh
: "Why, shouldn't have been Johns vii
70 to-day If had been so careful. dance
e with him the first night l met him, an
v we found we kept step so nicely we col
= Guided to glide through life together.
am sure young folks had a better time
, those years than they do now, and
really don't think any more misfortune
befell them than in these conventions
e days.
Last evening the children were dane
? ing, and l overheard an amusing conye
sation between trio at the parlor doc
/ A tiny young gallant in long stocking
e was begging two small belles-not owe
G ten years of age-to let him introduce
c friend Of his-a nine -year-old boy, VIII
+ had arrived that day with his parents.
u "Oh, but we couldn't think of danCin
with him." said the two naughty youn
= misses. owe don't-we don't kno
e him st all, you see"
J "Oh pshsw, now-I say come-let
S make up set and have good time,
:, pleaded the boy. He's good dance
u snd he wants TO get acquainted, yc
= know"
o "Weu-but really we csnnot dance wi
y such stranger" the girls insisted, al
e l went to my room TO ponder over y
e wonderful prudence and decorum ofsy
d growing generation.
ELLA WHEELER WILCOX.